In March 2024, Olivia Munn publicly shared that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer the year before, in April 2023, according to a report in CNN. She opened up about her experience in an Instagram post, where she talked about how her diagnosis came after a normal mammogram and negative results on a genetic test.
In interviews and social media posts, Munn explained that going through the process alone gave her space to stay strong. She said she avoided telling many people at the beginning because she didn’t want to be surrounded by fear or outside opinions. Her decision to speak out later came from a desire to help others who might be going through something similar.
In an interview with NBC's Meet the Press, Munn said,
"I needed it to stay private because I had to stay positive. And I had to fight. I couldn't imagine going through a battle like this and having all this outside noise."
Why did Olivia Munn choose to speak about her diagnosis later?
Olivia Munn said she waited to speak out about her diagnosis because she wanted to focus on her recovery. She did not want outside opinions or public attention while she was trying to stay strong.
In her interview with NBC's Meet the Press, she said,
“I didn’t want any outside attention or speculation that I may not make it,”
At the time of her diagnosis, Munn was preparing to fly to Germany for a film project. She was not afraid of dying before, but becoming a mother changed things.
“Having a little baby at home made everything much more terrifying,” she told
Munn said she decided to speak up when she saw old pictures of herself with her son. She realized that she had cancer in those photos and didn’t know it yet. That made her think of others who might also be unaware of their condition. She chose to go public to help others feel less alone.
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What has Olivia Munn said about her mother Kim’s diagnosis?
In July 2025, Olivia Munn revealed that her mother, Kim Munn, had also been diagnosed with breast cancer. Kim was diagnosed in 2024, one year after Olivia’s own diagnosis.
She said in an Instagram post about her mother:
"My mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. You may know that when I talk about my own battle with cancer I bring up the Lifetime Risk Assessment test that saved my life. I never would’ve predicted it would save my mom’s life as well."
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Olivia Munn was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2023 and shared her story publicly in March 2024. She said her diagnosis came after a breast cancer risk score led to more testing. Her mother, Kim, was diagnosed in 2024, after Olivia encouraged her to take the same test.
Munn has used her platform to talk about what happened in hopes of helping others. She said early detection made a difference in both her and her mother’s cases. By sharing her story, she wants to raise awareness and make sure more people know about tools like the breast cancer risk assessment.
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